Nature Play Week – 17-28 April

Nature Play Week starts tomorrow. I thought it was an appropriate event to write a post about for the letter ‘N’ in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Nature Play Week encourages parents and kids (or people of all ages) to take a break from screens and spend time playing outside in nature. Nature Play Week is part of the Victorian Premier’s Active April Campaign.

The Nature Play Week website lists many events. Most of the events are in Victoria but there are some in the other states of Australia as well.

There are many benefits to nature play. These include:

• healthy eyes
• increase to vitamin D levels
• increased physical activity
• reduced risk of obesity
• improved relationship skills
• boosts academic performance
• enhanced attention
• improved behaviour

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There are a number of Nature Schools popping up around the country, where children get to work and learn in an outdoor classroom.

Just last week I was having a conversation with some others about imaginative play and children. I was reminded of how we used to have pine trees at one of the primary schools I attended. My friends and I would make “houses” by brushing the pines needles together to section of different rooms. At home my brother and I would play on the spare lot next door and make “houses” my flattening the long grass into rooms and passages. I would end up with very itchy legs but we loved doing it.

Climbing trees was something I used to love doing as a child and occasionally do as an adult. In fact one of our recent family photos was taken in a tree and it’s the one on the wall in our lounge room.

I have many fond memories of playing in nature in the backyards of the various houses I lived in as a child, at other peoples houses, in the bush and at the beach. We went for a trip to the UK when I was a child. I remember being at a stony beach with some relatives and my Great Aunt playing “how many eggs in the basket?” with the stones on the beach.

Here’s a link to 8 Simple Nature Play Activities for Kids.

Last week I also got the chance to spend 5+ hours in nature as part of my studies. We had to spend a day of quiet contemplation. I chose to spend mine at a local bush reserve. Most of my time was spent in 2 spots plus walking around. During the extended time in the 2 spots I got to see a lot of nature. In the first spot I enjoyed the view and watching many different birds. At the second spot I saw lizards, ducks and spent time lying looking up at the tree branches above me. It was such a great thing to do, I want to spend time in nature more regularly.

Some useful websites on Nature Play are:

• Nature Play QLD
• Nature Play SA – including some great Family Nature Play Downloads
• Kids in Nature Network (Victoria)
• Nature Play WA – Also has great downloads for Families
• The Wild Network (UK)
• Children and Nature Network (US – International)

Nature Play is not just for kids. How have you experienced nature lately?